The Avengers Endgame (2019), directed by Anthony Russo & Joe Russo

Grief and regret are not the usual hallmarks of a superhero action adventure movie, so Endgame is something of a surprise. There is only one extended battle scene; instead lots of quiet reflection, so it’s not really one for the kids. Starting immediately where Infinity War finishes, the world is in chaos and the surviving Avengers unite to try to reclaim the Infinity stones from Thanos. Five years later, each of them is handling their failure in their own way. Tony Stark has retreated to family life; Black Widow has taken charge; Thor has immersed himself in alcohol; and Hawkeye has turned vigilante. The return of Antman from the quantum realm sparks new hope and the Avengers get busy trying to turn back time. With many callbacks to previous movies, Endgame is clever and funny, packing a lot in to its bladder-challenging three-hour running time. It is probably best not to think too hard about the time travel implications, or it will do your head in. The ending is satisfying, if bittersweet as all comes full circle.